Prior to trying out the GEM PB I had kicking around I'd been shaving with a Schick Krona for quite awhile. I liked it, the shave was superior to any cartridge multi-blade or disposable I'd ever tried. Then I tried the SE for the first time with CVS carbons, "Wow!" was my reaction. Next I tried a GEM MM and subjectively believe I got an incrementally better shave than the PB but it took longer and the PB is seems a bit easier for me to wield. I've had barely a week with the two of these but have been very pleased out how great they work, no clear winner with either. I believe that is a testament to fundamentally good design.
And then.....today switched back to the Krona as it was in the shower, where I shave, and the GEM's were over by the sink. The Krona had a new blade in it so I used it and was very surprised at the result. I ended up with a much better shave than I can ever recall getting from it. I would also be hard pressed to state with absolute certainty that the SE shaves I've managed were absolutely better overall than the DE. There are definitely areas however, under my nose for example, where the SE works better in one pass than the DE. So what is going on? I believe during my short stint with the SE's, I actually improved my technique dramatically while I learned to use them. I also do not believe I would have had a good experience with SE's at all had I not had the long trial with my DE first. However, I never thought that hard about what I was actually doing with it. Quite the contrary with the SE, I had to think about it, it was deliberate and in turn I actually got better overall.
That's my theory anyway.
Comments?
And then.....today switched back to the Krona as it was in the shower, where I shave, and the GEM's were over by the sink. The Krona had a new blade in it so I used it and was very surprised at the result. I ended up with a much better shave than I can ever recall getting from it. I would also be hard pressed to state with absolute certainty that the SE shaves I've managed were absolutely better overall than the DE. There are definitely areas however, under my nose for example, where the SE works better in one pass than the DE. So what is going on? I believe during my short stint with the SE's, I actually improved my technique dramatically while I learned to use them. I also do not believe I would have had a good experience with SE's at all had I not had the long trial with my DE first. However, I never thought that hard about what I was actually doing with it. Quite the contrary with the SE, I had to think about it, it was deliberate and in turn I actually got better overall.
That's my theory anyway.
Comments?
